Furnace for the smelting of ores and other materials



Dea. 26, i922. 1,439,951?.

U. A. GARRED. y FURNACE FOR THE SMELTING 0F DRES AND OTHER MATERIALS. FILED IUNEG 1919.

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Patented llico.. gli, lll

ULYSSES A. GABRED, 0F ELJHURST, NEW YRK, ASSIGNOR TO GARRED-CAVERS CORPORATIGN, DE NEW YORK, N. Y., A CRPORALTION 03F NEW YORK.

FUR/NACE FR THE SMELTING Ofi' GRES All@ @THEIR MTERELS.

Application filed June 6,

Be it known that l. llnvssns A. Galiano, a citizen otl the United itates, residing at Elmhurst, in the borough of Queens, in the county of Queens, in the city of N ew York and State of New York, have invented certain new and usetu improvements in Fun naces for the thnelting' of @res and Other lilaterials, set forth in the following specitication.

The invention relates to improvements in furnaces for the smelting of ores and other materials, to secure many advantages in the direction of economy. elliciency and control. 'lhe operations of a furnace may be considered as comprisingF the development of heat from the combustion of fuel and the application of the heat to perform the work; and, in many instances, where the heat is directly applied by bringing the combustion and products thereof into direct contact with the material treated, the operation comprises control of the chemical character of the contacting gases. not only to develop heat, but also to secure such oxidizing, reducing, roastinzg` or other etl'ect on the material as may be desired. According to the present invention, the heat is developed by providing for exceptionally perfect combustion of fuel in a finely divided state, such as coal or other solid fuel in a pulver-ized state` or oil or other liquid fuel in an atomized state, particular provision beingmade for a combustion space. the maintenance of favorable conditions for combustion therein and control of the elements of combustion admitted thereto. llxceptionally advantageous application of tbc heat so developed is secured by so disposing the material that it automatically feeds itself to a fixed point of high heat or sineltincV zone immovably located in proper relation to the combustion. The provisions for the development and application of the heat7 coupled with the control of the supplies of the elements of combustion, se-v cure a regularity and perfection of opera-tion heretofore not attained and permit of such accuracy of treatment of the material that such operations as separating metal from ore may be accomplished more cheaply and satisfactorily than heretofore.

lt is anadvantagre of the invention and assists in its exposition to note that it may be practiced by removing; only the lower sec-- i919. Serial No. 302,360.

ingry therefor means for practicing the invention` Such means consist preferably of (l) a bottom or Crucible retaining the molten4 material exposed to the combustion chamber thereabove` so that the molten material is maintained for a sufficient time at a. sutlicient temperature to facilitate the separation of the metal content from the slag, and. conversely. the heatI of the molten material facilitatesthe combustion of the fuel and the meltingA operation, (2) a space within the crucible having a relatively small opening in its top to the charge thereabove and receiving at its relatively extended portions, where they will be out of Contact with the charge, tuyeres connected with controllable supplies of finely divided fuel and air under pressure. so that the :t'uel may be effectively brought to a state of intense combustion and given any desired chemical character before contacting with the solid charge, and a space thereabove and constituting a portion of the usual shaft of upright furnaces, provided with such a contraction at the bottom as will when the furnace is in operation prevent the. solid charge from occupying the lower space and permit only the molten portion to pass through the comparatively small openingJ thereinto.

Une of the ditliculties in blast furnace operations has been irregularit)I of operation, particularly such as'result from the cha-nge of the point of highest heat where the smeltinir or melting),f zone is located, and an iinportant advantage of the present .invention is the lining` of thatpoint at or near the comparatively small opening or throat between the main portion of the shaft and the space where combustion is developed, so that it is always in fixed and proper relation With the combustion and with the charge. The regularity of operation secured by the practice ot" the present invention and ineens by which it is secured interact to secure sundry other objects and advantages, some of which Will be referred to hereinafter.

ln the accompanying drawing is illus trated a preferred form ot' furnace enftiodying the invention and adapted to its practice, the view being a vertical section. `Ilihis fui nace comprises shaft 5, receiving' the charge through the open too 7, as is usual..

The hearth 8 forms the bottom of the crulilole 6 at the base of the shaft. which receives the molten material and retains it until it is drawn oli'. lo a furnace having, these and other usual features of blast furnace construction, the present invention is readily applied. 'l`o secure proper space for the development of combustion, the lower portion lt) of the shaft is contracted so as {i} to form inwardly projecting ledges ll, the

2o is of the preferred a long, relatively narrow opening or slit. In any event, the ledges ll will be adapted ela' to supportthe greater part of the charge of the furnace in such manner that only the portion of the charge immediately above the throatn and consequently the portion contact- 3o ing with the highest heat in the throat and So in molten condition, will pass down therethrough and, conversely, the heat will be so ilocalized'at and near the throat that that portion of the Charge there willbe constantly melted and the throat alwaysl open,l

with the` result that the molten portion of the charge will regularly pass down through the throat'into the Crucible.

The tuyeres open into the space below the ledges, above the crucible and below the charge. rl'h'e tuyeres l5 are shown in the in theI top of the space is developed, although they may conveniently be located in the side walls thereof. The tuyeres are 3o located lthat they are always free and ui'iobstructed,

drawing as located where combustion and no portion of the charge can be hardened by the chill of the air forced through them so as to interfere with operation.

The portion of the furnace comprising` the ledges and space therebelow into which the tuyeres enter is preferably constructed so that it may be removedfor repairs or renovation without disturbing the remainder of the furnace, and this construction is. ol advantage in red ucin'g` operating costs.

The fuel, whether pulverized or atomized, is conducted into the furnace below the charge through the tuyeres from reservi'iirs The air uiuler pressure is conducted Lffroin the busl'le pig s li' down through the pipes le controlled by the 'valves` i9 into the toyeres and is eontrollable air blast: is availed of oduee the .fuel into the furfo i nace and in produce therein sinn redueing,

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i sono? 'l`he maintenance of a high temperature at this point localizes and fixes the melting zone there, prevents the solidifyingl of the charge there and insures regularity of opera.- tion. The fact that the fuel is conveyed into -the furnace and combustion developed above the mass of molten material in the cruoible makes combustion more perfect and, conversely. keeps the molten material at a suliicient temperature for a suflicient time to facilitate the separation of the slag from the metal content.

This construction of furnace makes it possible to secure exceptional control and regulation of operation; and further to facilitate this, apertures 2l) are formed in the walls of the crucible above the level of the molten material therein to enable the opera tor to observe the conditions and regulate the amounts and proportions of air and fuel to secure any desired condition.

There are many othc' advantages resulting' from the practice of the invention. For example, flotation concentrates`r flue dust, and the like, which have heretofore been. diliicult to smelt. can be treated economically and effectively in a. furnace of the pres-,cnt construction, by introducing them into the Space where combustion is developed along with the air and finely divided fueh or otherwise, since the tennyerature and draft comlitious therein effectively reduce them to molten conditioin so that they become part of tlu` molten mass in the crueible.

lt will be understood that the of the throat or openinglil willdepend somewhat upon the nature of the charge, the preferred size being' such that only the melted material will pass down therethrough when the furnace is in operation. In some instances, it is desirable ini starting the furnace to arrange a temporary bridge to prevent the material falling' through the throat 13, until heat conditions are developed which insure lthe reduction of such material to molten con rlhe invention I Magee? that the ledges lt may be ot Sundry shapes and olt sundry materials protected against over-heating' in known vvaye, and that other details will be adjusted ae tbc particular material and circumstam-es indicate, without delgiarting l'i'om the lSpirit or scope of the invention a# Het forth in the following:r claims.

l. i. blaet furnace comprising a shaft, a crucible al' tbe bottom ol' the Shaft for eenlainiurl 'die molten material, means including' tuyeres l'or teeflinglinely divided fuel into the upper part ot' the Crucibler` inwardly projrrting ledges above the crueible sepaated 'by a narrow throat for sustaininaA Substanliallj,v the whole or the chargel` the spare between the molten material and the ledges serving ae a combustion zone whereby the molten material assiets in the eomlmstion and the Combustion keeps the molten mate rial het to facilitate the Separation ot' the metal from the slag'.

2. furnace ble at the bottoni of the shaft for Containing the molten material? inwardly projecting ledges above the crucible sepzirated by a nar ing zone is kept at comprising' a Shaft, a cruci-v row throat for sustaining substantially the whole of the charge, tuyeres entering the cracible below the ledges and controllable means it'or introducing finely divided fuel into the crueible, the spaee betwen the ledges and the molten material serving as a eombastion zone whereby the melting or smeltsubstantially the throat and in fixed relation with the combustion zone.

3. A furnace comprising a ahaft7 a erueiA ble at the bottom oi the shaft for containing the molten material, inwardly projecting ledges above the Crucible separated by relatively narrow opening, tuyeres enteringr the erueible between the ledges and the level of the molten material, the space defined by the ledges and the level ot' the molten material serving' as a combustion zone, and controllable means for introducing finely di- 'vided fuel into the combustion zone whereb)Y the combustion keeps the molten material hot to facilitate the separation ot' the metal from the slag and the heat of the molten material assists in the combustion.

ULYSSES A. GARRED. 

